Ok, so these aren’t exactly origami – but they look like it, and what’s even better, they are super simple and fast to make up. Yes, really!  All you need to know how to do is double crochet and slip stitch. And there’s minimal weaving in of ends and barely any seaming!

With the added bonus of clearing out some stash to make way for your Christmas yarn (or for post-Christmas Sale yarn), why not make a couple now and add a few extra’s to your tree?  Or make a few as Christmas gifts for friends or family?

Scroll down for pdf patterns! (US and UK notation). And if you need more help, check out the video tutorial on how to make these! And did you know you can find this pattern on Ravelry?

Materials

Any stash dk yarn and a size 4mm hook in two or more colours.  You can also try making these in light worsted with a 5mm hook (I used up the left overs from my Christmas Stocking project)

A tapestry needle to fit your yarn.

Pattern

Each bauble is made from 6 discs which are worked in the round and slip stitched together as you go. The middle four discs have holes in the centres to reduce the bulk.  Use a different colour from the previous disc each time you start a new one.

Disc 1:

Make a magic circle, or chain 4 and join with a sl-st if you prefer.

R1: ch2 (counts as dc here and throughout), 11dc into ring, draw the ring closed, join with a sl-st into the starting ch (12sts)

R2: ch2, dc into same st, (2dc) into each st around, join with a sl-st (24 sts)

R3: ch2, dc into next st, ch1, *dc into each of next 2 sts, ch1, repeat from *around, join with a sl-st (36 sts)

Disc 1 has 12 chain spaces.  Fasten off leaving a long tail (this will be used later to make the hanging loop).  Do not weave in ends!

Disc 2:

Chain 12, join with a sl-st to make a ring.  Crochet round 1 over the end so that you can trim it later and avoid having to weave it in.

R1: ch2, 23dc into the ring, join with a sl-st (24dc)

R2: ch2, dc into next st. Place disc 1 in front of disc 2 and sl-st through the ch-sp on disc 1 which is one before the final chain space you made. Dc into each of next 2 sts, ch1, *dc into next two stitches, skip one chain space on disc 1 and sl-st into the next, dc into each of next 2 sts, ch1, repeat from *around, join with a sl-st (36 sts)

Disc 2 is joined to disc one by 6 sl-sts in alternating chain spaces.  The 6 empty chain spaces on disc 2 will be used to attach disc 3 in the exact same way.  Trim off the tail from the centre of disc 2 and weave in the tail at the finishing end.  Pull the tail from the centre of disc 1 through the hole in disc 2.

Disc 3-5:

Repeat as for Disc 2, but work the sl-sts into the empty chain spaces of the previous disc made.

Disc 6:

Repeat rounds 1-2 of Disc 1.  Take the tail from disc 1 which is pulled through the middle of all the other discs, and tie it together tightly with the tail of disc 6 so that the centres of disc 1 and 6 are drawn together through the other discs.

Now work Round 2 as per disc 2.  Fasten off leaving a tail for sewing.

You will now have a layered cylinder of discs which make a nice concertina when stretched out!

Thread the tail from disc 6 onto the needle and pass this through each of the chain spaces from the inside out for each one, and for the starting chain space.  Pull the thread tight to draw the chain spaces together, and weave in the end.

Repeat on the other side, using the length to make a hanging loop before fastening off.

So, what colour ways will you try? Are you lucky enough to have some metallic yarn in your stash to try this with?

Downloadable pdf patterns:

Simple Origami Christmas Bauble US

Simple Origami Christmas Bauble UK